Candor Chasma

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU

About this image

This THEMIS visible image shows the effects of erosion on a sequence of dramatically layered rocks within Candor Chasma, which is in the north-central portion of Valles Marineris. These layers were initially deposited within Candor, and have subsequently been eroded by a variety of processes, including wind and downslope motion due to gravity. Erosional effects are manifested differently at different locations within the layered material. For example, the upper portion of the Candor deposit seen in the lower one-third of the image appears more intact, whereas downslope there is pronounced fluting to create produced "spur and gully" slopes. Relatively dark materials are seen throughout the image and appear to mantle select areas of the layered deposits. When seen in other areas by THEMIS, and at higher resolution by the Mars Global Surveyor camera, these dark materials often form sand dunes. The dark mantling material in Candor is likely dark sand as well. Several particularly dark patches can be seen near the left (western) edge of the image, approximately one quarter of the way up from the bottom of the image. Very few impact craters of any size can be seen in this image, indicating that the erosion and transport of material is occurring at a relatively rapid rate, so that any craters that form are rapidly buried or eroded.